The Value Of A Post-Secondary Education - May 28, 2026

It’s Still Worth Pursuing, But It’s The Soft Skills You Gain That Really Matter

These days, there seems to be a lot of shade being thrown at post-secondary education.  Why is that?  

There are warnings from “industry experts” that A.I. will eliminate all the entry-level jobs; this train of thought then leads to the thinking,  “why should someone spend between $100-200K, and invest four years of their life, for something that’ll turn out to be a waste of time and money?!”. Many recent graduates who did invest the time and money to go to school, find themselves underemployed or working jobs that don't require their degree that they just completed. Labour market conditions have been challenging for recent college graduates: the unemployment rate remained elevated at about 5.7% in Q1 2026, with an underemployment rate of 41.5%. Source - AOL. 

Side-note: my article posted here explains why A.I. will not eliminate all entry-level jobs. 

The cost of a post-secondary education for Gen Z is much more than what it was for Gen X. The "all-in" four-year undergraduate costs for domestic students have increased by 450% to over 600% in raw, unadjusted dollars between 1985 and 2026. Even after factoring in general economic inflation, today’s students are paying roughly double to triple what their parents paid in the 1980s. Source - USA Today, The New York Times, Statistics Canada, Embark. 

Those against post-secondary education will also point out that there are plenty of alternative ways to gain training, such as trade schools, coding bootcamps, YouTube, online certifications, and apprenticeships.  They claim that these alternate avenues have demonstrated that skilled, well-paying careers don't always require a four-year degree. Electricians, plumbers, and HVAC technicians often out-earn liberal arts graduates while carrying no debt. 

These are among the reasons why there is currently a lot of negative sentiment towards college or university degrees. But, enough of the doom and gloom! 

As you can gather from the subtitle of this article, I am a big fan of having a post-secondary education.  I advocate for this at every opportunity I’m given. I am, however, a Gen X-er and I’ll admit that times are different for the Gen Z cohort now going into school, and those that have recently graduated, than they were for me. Having said all of that, and acknowledging that times are not easy for those entering post-secondary education, for new graduates and recent graduates, here is why having a post-secondary degree is the best investment one could make.

What The Data Shows

Despite the negative sentiment, the data still generally shows that degree holders earn more over a lifetime, have lower unemployment rates, and report higher job satisfaction than non-graduates. The decision is far more complex than it once was, but that does not  make education worthless. Here are some data points to support this:

• Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce finds that bachelor's degree holders still earn about 75% more over their lifetimes than those with only a high school diploma.

• Among full-time working adults, four-year college graduates earn about 60% more than high school graduates, a wage premium that has been stable for decades. In 2024, 40% of mid-career adults aged 35–44 with bachelor's degrees and 58% of those with advanced degrees earned more than $100,000 annually, compared with just 13% of high school graduates. Source - Electrek

• US median weekly wages are approximately $1,543 for bachelor's degree holders versus $930 for high school graduates, about 66% higher. Source - Electrek

• The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports an unemployment rate of 2.5% for bachelor's holders (aged 25+) versus 4.2% for high school graduates and 6.2% for those without a high school diploma; meaning college graduates' unemployment rate is almost half that of high school graduates.  Source - Electrek

• From 2000 to 2025, high school graduates consistently faced unemployment rates at least 2.3 percentage points higher than college graduates. The gap is most pronounced during downturns and periods of economic uncertainty; during the Great Recession (2008–2010), the gap spiked to 7.8 percentage points, and a similar pattern emerged during COVID-19 in 2020. Source - Notatesla.

The Soft Skills That Cannot Be Overlooked

I advocate for post-secondary education because going through the process allows one to develop skills that all employers will value.   Going to college or university requires you to show up for class at a pre-set time, on a regular schedule, (one develops respect for a schedule, and time management skills).  It requires you to attend lectures for one to upwards of three hours, pay attention to what is being said and understand that information being conveyed by the instructor (being present, paying attention and gaining valuable insight from business meetings), and then deliver a work product, or answering questions, based on that information that was given to you (assignment papers, projects, tests and exams translates to properly prepared work reports and analysis).  Often, for these school projects you’ll have to collaborate with other students, (learning how to work and communicate in teams, and in one-on-one conversations).  And, often you’ll have to communicate information to the entire class or smaller groups, where you share the work product you’ve produced (public speaking to large audiences and small groups).  Over the course of a degree program, you’ll gain lots of experience doing these things.  Again, you’ll develop valuable skills that any employer will want from their employees.  These skills have nothing to do with whether you studied engineering, physics, business or art history.  The subject doesn’t matter because these soft skills are applicable to every area of study, and happen to be very valuable in any workplace.  By not going to college or university, you’re missing out on a great learning opportunity that will make you a valuable employee to any company.  

Where Does A.I. Fit Into All Of This?

A.I. is already here, as most of you know.  A.I. has to be an integral part of every post-secondary course’s curriculum today, and likely should have been for the past five years.  If that’s not the case, then today’s students have a right to complain and be down about college or university.  Those in school now have to graduate with a strong set of skills, not only to use A.I. tools, but also understanding what can and cannot be done with A.I. Businesses will never entrust their customer relationships or revenue generating activities to A.I. machines. So, as a student, if you can learn how to communicate in writing, and face-to-face, there will always be a job for you. 

Going To School Is Worth It

Popular social media channels such as “The School Of Hard Knocks” interview millionaires and billionaires, who in those interviews highlight lessons and skills they gained over their careers.  They often mention that a lot of these lessons “aren’t taught in school”.  This channel is very popular with the Gen Z cohort and it's a well-produced source of business content. I like it and find it interesting.  But its subjects regularly, indirectly, diminish the value of a post-secondary education. Despite these popular pop-culture narratives, and content that celebrates ultra-wealthy college dropouts, like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and Steve Jobs, they represent a distinct minority. The vast majority of wealthy individuals actually hold a college degree: 88% of millionaires and roughly 70% to 84% of billionaires have a post-secondary education. Source - Forbes

I am a firm believer in the adage, “get good grades, get a good degree, that’ll get you a good job, which will pay you good money”.  This philosophy was drilled into me by my parents and it helped me; now, I’m Gen X, so younger readers may rightly dismiss my viewpoint as being antiquated.  However, my two sons, and their friends and peers, are all Gen Z, and almost 100% of them also followed the same philosophy. They are mostly gamefully employed and earning a decent, if not lucrative, living. The one trait they all have in common? They are good communicators, they are always learning, and they are gaining experience, judgement and developing their common sense, from a foundation built upon a post-secondary education. These are skills they started to develop in university.  They are comfortable and competent engaging with people in person.  These are skills that A.I. can’t replicate (at least not yet), and they are skills employers will always value.